Save The Royal Hotel
Some information about the campaign with links to stories:
The Royal Hotel in Dungworth, is one of the main venues hosting Sheffield Carol singing. Many carols sung here were written by local people in Dungworth and surrounding villages and have been sung here for ever since- a living example of songs being passed through generations by the oral tradition for 200 years.
It is also the home of Royal Traditions- a folk club set up 15 years ago by Fay Hield and Jon Boden with the aim of making a folk club easily accessible to anyone who might come into the pub- it’s held in the main bar and word booklets are provided so everyone can join in with the songs.
The current owners of the pub, Dave and Jo have decided to retire from 1st March 2024, and given the difficult trading conditions for rural pubs there is a very real risk that the pub will be sold to developers and cease to be a public house.
Jon Boden and Paul Horton have started a campaign to Save the Royal. More information on their Facebook Page:
If you are able to invest in one or more £500 share you can pledge your support at https://savetheroyalhotel.com/ You can also join the mailing list for more information: email savetheroyalhotel@gmail.com
Features about the campaign:
Venue Guide
Please get in touch if anything looks wrong or if you can add further information. All venues with exception of Sheffield City Hall and Crucible theatre tend to be unreserved seating. Artists/ Promoters- I have a list with contact details/ promoters etc for these venues- please get in touch if you’d like a copy (email sheffieldfolkguide@gmail.com).
Bishop’s House Tudor House/ Museum, Lees Hall Avenue, S8 9NA. Small seated venue, ground floor. Bring your own drinks. Capacity is around 40 so book early!
Cafe #9, 9 Nether Edge Road, S7 1RU. Small seated venue, ground floor, level access. Soft drinks can be bought at the cafe. You can bring your own alcohol. Capacity is around 35 book early! Sometimes a few tickets available at the cafe (cash only) if gigs are shown as sold out online.
Crookes Social Club, Mulehouse Road, S10 1TD. Large function room in a social club, gigs are seated, capacity 500. There is a bar. Wheelchair accessible.
Dorothy Pax, Victoria Quays. Pub, seated venue. Split level with wheelchair access to upper level (but not to the toilets).
The Greystones, Greystones Road, S11 7BS. Gigs are in the large back room of the pub. Most are seated (capacity 100) but for larger, more lively bands the audience may be standing (capacity 150). It is sometimes not very clear when you book tickets whether this will be a seated or standing gig. There is a long bench down one wall so if you want to sit at a standing gig you need to get there early to get a seat. Ground floor, wheelchair accessible, blue badge parking available in pub car park.
Haggler’s Corner 586 Queens Road Sheffield S2 4DU. Cafe and Bar- Monthly Folk night 2nd Wednesday of the month. This is in the upstairs “attic”, no lift available.
The Leadmill, 6 Leadmill Road. Nightclub- usually standing gigs (capacity 900).
Live at Sam’s House concerts held in a large room at Sam’s house. Bring your own alcohol. Tea and cakes available in the interval. You will be sent venue information after booking tickets.
The Promised Land Bole Hill Rd, Sheffield S6 5DH Outdoor venue, gigs usually put on by The Nest Collective. There is no cover and gigs will go ahead whatever the weather. Bring your our folding chairs or rug. You can bring your own picnic. Bar is available.
Samuel Worth Chapel, Sheffield General Cemetery, S11 8NT. Restored Chapel with capacity of around 50, seated. Fully wheelchair accessible. Cafe/ bar selling local beers, wine, spirits, soft drinks and hot drinks. (All bar proceeds go towards the work of Sheffield General Cemetery Trust.) Accessible from all of the General Cemetery entrances, 2 blue badge parking spaces available outside the venue- please contact the event organisers to book this.
Shakespeare’s Pub 146 Gibraltar Street. Gigs are usually in the upstairs room, no wheelchair access. All gigs I’ve been to here have been seated (capacity 50). Playford and Eurosessions dances are held here.
Sheffield City Hall Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA. There are 3 venues here- the large Oval Hall, The Ballroom downstairs and The Memorial Hall. All have bars, all wheelchair accessible (except Memorial Hall balcony).
Sidney And Matilda Rivelin Works, Sidney St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 4RH They have 3 rooms where gigs are put on, I think all standing. Around 80- 150 capacity. They host a wide range of music- indie/ rock etc including some folk rock/ electronic folk drone.
St Andrew’s Psalter Lane S11 8YL Church, Gigs are put on here by Live at Sam’s, Hudson Records and as part of St Andrew’s music festival. This is a dry venue.
University of Sheffield S10 2TN 4 venues: Firth Hall, Octagon Centre, The Foundry, Drama Studio. All wheelchair accessible Firth Hall– Large, seated venue capacity 380. Bar usually available. Upstairs with lift available. Octagon Centre (up to 1230 seated, 1800 standing). The Foundry, Student union building capacity 1065 standing. Drama Studio Shearwood Rd, Sheffield S10 2TD capacity 245 seated.
Upper Chapel Norfolk Street Sheffield, S1 2JD Unitarian Church, seated (pews) seats 300. Wheelchair accessible. Sometimes gig organisers will run a bar.
Yellow Arch Studios 30-36 Burton Rd, S3 8BX Usually standing gigs, (capacity 200) but also a smaller room hosting seated gigs. Wheelchair accessible.
Folk Clubs
Beehive Folk Club, Harthill. First Friday of the month, Harthill Village Hall, S26 7YL. Bring your own drinks. Request a ticket by email to book and pay (usually around £10) on the door. Wheelchair accessible. Guest artists with floor spots before the main act.
Booit Straps Folk Club at The Commercial, 107-109 Station Rd, Chapeltown S35 2XF Every Monday 8-11PM “Come to watch, come to sing, play or read some poetry/whimsical articles. Bring your knitting or crochet. We don’t mind at all. Just come and enjoy an evening with us!” £1 entry- includes raffle entry. Upstairs room, no wheelchair access. Some nights have a guest artist- these will be listed in the what’s on guide. They are hoping to run some accessible sessions at a suitable venue.
Crookes Folk Club, at The Princess Royal, Slinn Street, Crookes. every Thursday Doors 8.15 for 8.30 start. See details on their Facebook page. Held in the upstairs room of the pub (no lift). Several floor spots before the guest artist. The regular Thursday night events are FREE with collection for the guest. There are also occasional ticketed Friday night gigs.
Kiverton Park Folk Club at Kiveton Park Colliery Cricket Club every Tuesday 8PM Most nights are singers/ musicians nights with guest artists about once/ month.
Nether Edge Folk Club, Nether Edge Bowling club. Wednesday evenings Most nights are singers/ players nights with occasional guest artists. Mixed session- including blues, popular songs and tunes. The club is fully wheelchair accessible. Bar.
Old Horns Music Club– Old Horns Inn, High Bradfield. 8.30PM 3rd Friday of every month. Held in the upstairs room, there are a few shallow stairs to go up. Free entry, “open mic” sessions (with no mic). They are hoping to re-start inviting guest artists. (This club used to be at the Norfolk Arms, Rivelin).
Royal Traditions, The Village Hall, Dungworth. Saturdays about once/ month Tunes session, guest artist, house songs for all with words provided, sing-around. Tickets £8, Hall capacity is currently limited to 60 so entry will be for ticket holders only.
Other South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire clubs/ sessions
The Barnsley Celtic sessions -The Old No 7 pub in Market Hill Barnsley 2nd Sunday in the month official start time is 12.30pm but gets rather full, tunes only please. Check above facebook link for details of this session.
Chesterfield- The Brampton Sessions: First Wednesday of every month, 7.30PM at St Thomas’ Centre, Chatsworth Rd, Brampton, Chesterfield. Invited floor spots, guest artists and session playing. Wheelchair accessible. More details and music for house tunes on the group’s Facebook page.
Doncaster- Roots Music Club, A few floor spots, then guest artist.